Terrorism: Does Theory of Urban Terrorism Apply to Ireland?

The theory of Urban Terrorism doesn’t apply to Irish based terrorism, as the type of terrorism exhibited in Ireland was inherently different.  The urban terrorism theory was developed by Carlos Marighella where its purpose was to “(…) simply kill victims, attack institutions, and disrupt normal life [in the urban environment] (White, 2006, p. 213).  The IRA comprised mostly rural people and, for example, mostly picked its targets and waged wars with these specific targets.  Marighella believed that violence would cause the revolution and this is where the urban terrorism theory fails.  However, Ernesto Guevara’s theory, of what seems to be Rural Terrorism theory in translation, states that “(…) revolution should use violence for political ends” (White, 2006, p. 213).  This frame of thinking is more conducive to the Irish based terrorism, as opposed to Marighella’s theory of Urban Terrorism.  In retrospect, Guevara’s methods have worked in countries like China, Algeria, Cuba, and last but not least: Ireland (White, 2006).

Reference

White, J.R. (2006). Terrorism and Homeland Security. (5^th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson-Wadsworth.

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